It seems possible that many of the findings made in research are
serendipitous. The chance publication of a paper or book or a conversation
overheard in a lift or passageway may have an enormous effect in changing
the direction of someone in the midst of a research endeavour. For example
the chance meeting of the authors of this research paper could never have
been foreseen. Neither of them was aware of the other before their
serendipitous encounter. This act of pure happenstance led to clarification of
certain problem areas in the story of Joan Bax (1637-1678), Governor of the
Cape of Good Hope. If Laing and Goris had not had this 'serendipitous'
meeting this analysis would never have been done. The research digresses
into the period of the Eighty Years war and the involvement of the Bax
family during this era. Research was done on three levels - heraldic,
historical and genealogical. The authors brought together different strengths
in a 'synergistic' manner, which tries to find an answer to this enigmatic
figure in Cape history. It is strange that this Cape Governor was destined to
enter the history books as Bax 'entitled Van Herentals.' This paper hopes to
show that the so-called Herentals connection is very dubious. End